“My name is Vasilena Pancheva and I am the owner of a perfume and cosmetics shop in the city of Dobrich. Shortly after its opening two years ago, I came across an article about your initiative to collect empty perfume bottles in exchange for books. Then I encouraged my customers to bring their empty bottles back to the store so we could pass them on. Now we have collected a certain amount and I am interested if the initiative continues, where and when we can hand them over”.
A letter with a similar content arrived shortly before Christmas on the e-mail of the Public Center for Environment and Sustainable Development – a non-governmental organization from Varna.
The eco-initiative in which the young entrepreneur is involved is “Bring back an empty perfume bottle and get a book!”. It started at the end of 2019 as “Green Fridays” with a call to the citizens of Varna to do something “green” at the end of the working week. The organization’s office is open to anyone who wants to discuss environmental topics and issues. And in order to attract a wider audience, ecologists announce that they collect small glass bottles of cosmetics and perfumes. A second-hand book can be bought for every recycled bottle. Sometimes there are old and valuable editions in the library that one can get for a nominal donation.
Vasilena Pancheva wished to receive collections of short stories by Yordan Yovkov from the 1950s, as well as more recent editions by the author. The young woman decided to use them to make original gifts for the holidays to her friends, clients and fans of the initiative.
Despite the statistics, which report a tendency for young and highly educated people to migrate to big cities in order to work or develop business, Vasilena moved two years ago from Varna to Dobrich. In the sea capital, he works in a large and well-known perfumery and cosmetics chain and has a good standard of living. He wants to transfer his experience and knowledge to the development of his own business. She estimates that the initial capital she will need in Varna, as well as the competition, are much greater. Opens a market niche in Dobrich. I rent a small room in a quiet street, near the center. Two years later, she says she’s happy with her choice because her business is already turning a profit.
In addition to investments, Vasilena Pancheva also brings the initiative “Return an empty perfume bottle and take a book!” to Dobrich. Thus, it becomes an example of another exception to statistics – how a small local campaign can turn into a national one, without outside interference, as long as it is embraced by the citizens.
“I learned about the initiative in a somewhat banal way – from Facebook. I decided that, albeit on a smaller scale, we can also apply it here, in Dobrich,” states Vasilena. She knows most of her clients, who are not only clients but also friends. Therefore, it is not difficult to associate them with the idea. “Some prefer to collect the bottles, but there are also those who wonder what to do with them. I suggested that when they come to buy a new perfume, they should bring it to the store.” Thus, in less than 2 years, the small shop in Dobrich collected over 20 kg of glass waste from small perfume bottles alone.
“When business is green, it attracts and includes more people. And so the idea of separate collection of waste is increasingly popularized. The goal is for us to be cleaner, greener and to use resources instead of throwing them away,” believes the woman from Varna with a business in Dobrich.
Vasilena’s example is proof that the goal of the small local initiative – to develop the activity of young people in various green areas – has been fulfilled. Now we have to see the result – committed to environmental problems, active citizens.
